of pittsfield



May 19, 1931.

H. p. GRINNELL LAMP BULB REMovING MEcHANxsM Filed Feb. 3, 1931 Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFEicE f HAROLD D. GRINNELL, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE G. C. A. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS LAMP. BULB REMOVING i IECHAN ISM lApplication filed February 3,1931.

This invention relates to mechanism for placing, removing and replacing electric lamp bulbs and the like adapted to be screwed into sockets or other devices provided for the support thereof, and aims to provide improved means for accomplishing these operations. The invention is specially, ifinot eX- clusively, adapted for use in respect to lamp bulbs mounted in elevated positions.

The invention will best be understood from a description of one selected embodiment thereof illustrated in Vthe accompanying drawings, to which reference may be had, and wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the assembled device, partly in section, the lower end of the detachable section of the rod being .cut away and thelimits of lateral movement of the head being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; and

F ig. 3, a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the upper end of the extension portion on the line of Fig. 1 showing the positions and relationshiprof thecord, pulley and rollers at thisy end of the device.

Referrino to the accompanying'drawings and the embodimentV of my invention therein illustrated, the device comprises a rod or handle portion 10 of indefinite length, and an eX- tension portion or arm 11, including lamp bulb operating mechanism, pivotally secured to the rod. The rod 10 is designed to enable the operator to conveniently reach lamp bulbs placed in elevated positions beyond khis grasp and may be constructed in any approved manner suitable to the purpose. This rod, as indicated in the accompanying drawings, is preferably composed of a terminal member or head 12, to which are connected one or more separate lengths or sections 13, etc. detachably connected together, end to end, in any approved manner, the uppermost of such sections being similarly connected to the head 12, so that the total length of the rod may be readily increased or reduced to conform to the required reach for manipulating the lamp bulbs. y

The head 12 constitutes a permanent termi nal portion of the rod 10. As herein shown, the upper end of this head is laterally pro- Seral No. 513,154. v

vided at opposite points with flattened sui faces to which are permanently attached eX- tension members in the form of metallic plates 14 extending beyond the rod and supporting between their upper extremities the arm 1.1. The arm 11 may be constructed of wood'or other suitable material and is provided at its lower end with a transverse Opeliing to receivea pivot pin 15 supported by the plates 14 and on which it is adapted to swing in either of oppositelateral directions for ade justment at any desired `inclination or angle with respect to the rod, the limits of the arc of movement thus obtainable being at least 180 degrees apart, or a minimum'reach of 90 degrees on each side of the longitudinal axis ofthe rod. Locking means in the form of a pair ofv independently operable and relatively spaced bolts 16 with wing nuts 17 are carried by the plates 14 and are operable to clamp the plates firmly against the arm 11 to secure the arm in rigid position at any desired angle to the rod. To protect the portion of the arm 11 interposed between the plates 14 from wear and to insure adequate pressure and uniform contact at all points of engagement between these parts, a suitable spacing medium, such as the metallic collar 18 having laterally projecting edges for engaging the plates 14, is secured to and encloses the circular rim of this portion of the arm 11, so that only a slight turn of the nuts 17 in either directionv is required to clamp or release the arm 11.

Supported at the upper end of the arm 11 is a horizontally disposed shaft 19 extending transversely through and beyond the arm on opposite sides thereof and adapted tobe revolved in either of opposite directions by a pulley 20 mounted centrally on the shaft andv secured thereto by the` set screw 21. Rotative movements of the pulley and shaft in either direction are controlled by a cord 22 enclosing the pulley and seated in a peripheral groove 23 which is preferably formed with straight inclined sides to insure a gripping engagement of the cord. The two ends of the cord 22 are extended downward an indefinite length on opposite sidesof the rod 10 to and Within reach of roo the operator. To support the cord, and to prevent its displacement from normal position at or near the connection of the arm and rod when the arm is pivoted laterally to right or left, suitable means are provided, such as the rollers 24 which are pivotally secured by the plates 14 on opposite sides ofthe rod. As shown, these rollers are arranged in pairs, each pair being disposed in the same plane and spaced a sufficient distance apart to provide a passage for free coursing of the cord, outward displacement of the cord at these points being prevented by the coupling plates 25 covering the space between the rollers and extending between the pins Q6 on which the rollers are mounted, Arranged a t opposite points on each side of the arm 11, preferably near the lower end thereof and adjacent the rollers 24, are desirably provided auxiliary guide members, herein shown in the form of eyelet bars 27, through which the respective cords lengths are passed and serving to maintain the proper alignment thereof.

To prevent slipping of the cord 22 on the pulley 20 when under load in placing or removing a lamp bulb, means are provided to insure Contact and gripping engagement between these parts over as large a portion of the circumference of the pulley as practicable, and .for this purpose a pair ofguide rollers 28 carried by the arm 11 on opposite sides thereof and positioned immediately below the pulley are arranged to direct the course of the cords inward and upward around the pulley to the maximum extent possible. In this manner and by these means the cord on the entering side is brought into contact with the pulley sooner, and on the leaving side continues such contactlonger, than it normally otherwise would. These guide rolle-rs 2S may be supported and maintained in position by any suitable means, such as the parallel plates 29 herein shown, which are seated in transverse slots 30 provided in the arm 11 and ari extended laterally on opposite sides beyond the arm, affording la guideway therebetween for the cords on opposite sides of the arm. The plates 29 carry connecting pins 3Q, which serve as supports for the rollers QS, while vupward extensions 83 of the plates serve as a housing for the pulley. Similarly supported by and between the plates 29 on a pin 31 is a separate roller Bet, which is arranged under and adjacent the rollers 28, providing a bearing surface for the cord 011 both sides of the arm 11,

The extremities of the pulley shaft 19 are extended on each side of the arm 11 a sufiicient distance beyond the arm for the support of the lamp clutch socket members 35. As herein shown, each of these socket members constitutes a tubular metal housing open at the outer end and closed at the inner end by a thickened wall 36 having a central transverse opening` 37 to receive the corresponding end of the shaft 19. Suitable means, such as the screw pins 38, passing through registering transverse openings in the wall and shaft, are employed to removably secure the socket members to the shaft.

The socket members 35 are adapted to support in detachable relation any approved type of lamp clutch device, as for example the form herein illustrated, which is more particularly described and shown in applicants U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,7 92,834, issued February 17, 1931, lamp clutch, said device including a lamp bulb receiving and gripping portion 39 and a stem member 40 adapted to be inserted into and withdrawn from the socket members 35 with suitable locking means, such as the push button 41, which registers with a corresponding transverse opening 4-2 provided in the wall of the socket member.

In the application of my device the arm 11 is first adjusted at the desired angle to the axis of the rod 10 and then made fast by means of the locking nuts 17, care being taken to insert a new lamp bulb in one of the two clutch mechanisms before elevation of the rod. The vacant clutch mechanism is then pushed over the lamp bulb 43 to be removed and both clutch and lamp bulb are rotated reversely or counter-clockwise to unscrew the bulb from the lighting socket by means of a downward movement applied by the operator on the appropriate cord pull. The reverse action of the same clutch to replace the old bulb is accomplished by a downward movement of the opposite cord pull, .a single stroke of the operator-s arm being usually suiicient to effleet the seating or -unseating of the lamp bulb. On the other hand, the new bulb which has been provided in the remaining clutch mechan ism before elevation of the rod, may be used to replace the old bulb removed, in which case the rod is rotated while still in the elevated position so as to present the new bulb for in sertion in the empty lamp socket. The appropriate cord pull is then ydrawn downward to screw the bulb into place.

It should be observed that either one or both of the socket members 35 may be empicyed in the dual operations of removing and replaciner a lamp bulb. In case both socket members are employed separate clutch devices are mounted in the socket members on opposite sides of the arm, a new lamp bulb being inserted in one of the clutch devices to replace the old lamp bulb which is to be removed with the remaining` clutch device. In this manner both operations, that is to say removing` the old bulb and .inserting a new one in its place, may be accomplished in one elevation of the rod. This obvious advantage may be obtained in all instances where the arm 11 is arranged either in alignment with the rod 10 or at an inclination thereto which is not too great to permit the successive presentation of both clutch devices to the lighting socket.

The arm 11, as before stated, is susceptible of sWing in either of opposite lateral directions to the extent of at least ninety degrees on each side, or through a combined arc in excess of 180 degrees, thus permitting the device to be applied to lamp bulbs mounted in a vertical position or at any angle thereto and Whether in an upright or inverted position.

It Will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described.

I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, in combination, a rod, a shaft transversely arranged on one end of the rod, separate lampbulb clutch mechanisms carried by the shaft and arranged on opposite sides of the rod, and means for rotating the shaft in either of opposite directions.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a rod, a shaft transversely arranged on one end of the rod, separate lamp-` bulb clutch mechanisms carried by the shaft and arranged on opposite sides of the rod,

and means cooperatively associated with the Y shaft and controllable at the opposite end of the rod for rotating lamp vbulbs in either of opposite directions.

3. In a device of the class described, in combinatioma support, a terminal portion Vpivoted to the support and adapted tosvving in either of opposite lateral directions, locking means, means for rotatively supporting separate lamp bulb clutch mechanisms on opposite sides of said terminal portion, and means cooperatively associated With said terminal portion and said Vclutch supportingr mechanisms for rotating a lalnp bulb in either of opposite directions.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a rod, an arm pivotally secured to the rod and arranged to Yswing in either of opposite lateral directions, locking meansl for iixing the position of the arm on the rod, a shaft transversely mounted on the arm and extending at opposite ends beyond the arm, lamp-bulb clutch supporting mechanism on each of said shaft extensions for supporting separate clutches for lamp bulbs, and means cooperatively associated with said shaft and said clutch supporting mechanisms for rotating lamp bulbs successively in either of opposite directions.

5. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a rod, a terminal portion on the rod susceptible of movement relatively to the rod in either of opposite lateral directions, a shaft transversely arranged'on said terminal portion, separate lamp-bulb clutch supporting mechanisms arranged on opposite sides of said rod terminal portion and cooperatively associated With the shaft,

each of said clutch supporting mechanisms being adapted for rotation in either of opposite directions, and means cooperative! associated with said shaft and said clutc supporting mechanisms for rotating lamp bulbs successively in either of opposite directions.

6. In a device ofthe class described, in combination, a rod, a shaft transversely arranged on the rod, a pulley ixed on the shaft separate socket members carried by the shaft on opposite sides of the rod for detachable engagement With lamp bulb clutch mechanisms, and means cooperatively associated With the shaft and said socket members for successively rotating lamp bulbs in either of opposite directions.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination, a rod l0 having a terminal extension portion 11, a shaft 19 transverselyV HAROLD D. GRINNELL. 

